Page 36 - WCEN Dr Rochelle Burgess evaluation report\ Baloon

The conferences provide a concrete example of where this systemic change has occurred as power
structures, routines, relationships and resources are reconfigured in one safe space to enable or
facilitate coproducing behaviors. This practice demonstrates shift in cultural and structural practices.
This quote taken from an interview with a community group member exemplifies these shifts:

‘Well, just going back to when we, say for example when we did the first Healing Our Broken
Village conference, or the first few in fact, they were invited and we sat and listened, they were
the ones in control, because the way that I guess at that time we didn’t have enough clout to
actually have the ability to control things, whereas now it’s turned right around, so that they come
and they listen to us and they take away some of the learnings and then work with us to implement
changes and so on, so for me I guess I’ve seen that myself in the complete shift and with the
new chair of the trust and how he engages with us and participates in events and so on, his input
has been as a result of the work that’s been done over the years to cause them to no longer, I
guess, fear this group of people out there who they’ve never had anything to do with, now it’s
quite different.’ Community organisation interview – female

Coproduction Reference Group (CRG)

The CRG provides further evidence of shifting practices. It brings together community leaders and
senior leaders of multiple agencies. The most senior level representatives were present from the CRG,
South West London and St Georges Mental Health Trust and Public Health) at the meeting observed.
Significantly, the meeting is chaired by an elected member, who is also the cabinet member for adult
health and care services. The CRG demonstrated a very significant systemic change as it was
highlighted that there is no other platform in the borough that requires all of the statutory agencies to
collaborate in this format, even more profound is that the community groups are also present. Therefore,
this platform enables conversations, prioritization and decisions to be made. It is space that allows for
crosscutting agendas to be identified and solutions to be designed. It was in this meeting that it was
first identified that a shift to outcomes-based commissioning is currently being implemented in
Wandsworth and is mostly likely to be the best model of commissioning for WCEN in their capacity
building stages (March 2016 onwards). Significantly, this model of commissioning is closely aligned to
coproduction as it focuses on social, environmental and economic factors relating to health. Since this
discussion at the CRG, the WCEN Director informed us that they are now in advanced discussions to
carry out the community research that will determine what the outcomes will be. From the CRG, WCEN
is provided with unique opportunities to coproduce initiatives alongside multiple partners and collaborate
in innovative ways.

BME Mental Health Forum

The third example of safe spaces, as a shifting practice, is the BME Mental Health Forum. This forum
brings together professionals and community groups from the mental health arena who are responsible
for shaping services. This forum is a very specific example of shifting practices which relies on aspects
developed and facilitated in other safe spaces (building of trust, recognition of community assets,
open-dialogue and shifting of power) to enable transformative coproduction to take place. This forum
is one of WCEN’s more mature networks that was developed out of concerns around the
overrepresentation of BME communities in the mental health system. An observation of the network
took place, which highlighted several areas of coproduction in practice. The forum was a platform for
co-prioritization and co-design to take place. The members of the network reflected on the most recent
‘Healing our Broken Village Conference’ and drew out areas that should be used to inform the ways in
which Mental Health Services should be designed. In the latter part of the forum, a commissioner from
the mental health trust was present to discuss the IAPT program. This forum allowed for authentic
coproduction to take place based upon principles of trust, respect, mutuality and reciprocity. The
observations made were also verified in an interview with one of the community members, who stated
that they were able to participate in discussions and decision making around mental health whilst at
the forum: